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Following is a question by the Hon Frederick Fung and an oral = reply by=20 the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah = Liao, in=20 the Legislative Council meeting today (May 21) :-
Question :
It is learnt that sewage discharged from the Princess Margaret = Hospital=20 ("PMH") is currently delivered to Stonecutters Island Sewage = Treatment=20 Works ("SCISTW") for chemically-enhanced primary treatment, i.e. = the=20 removal of pollutants by a sedimentation process which is speeded = up by=20 adding chemical additives to the sewage. In this connection, will = the=20 Government inform this Council:=20
(a) of the reasons for providing only chemically-enhanced = primary=20 sewage treatment at SCISTW, and whether it will upgrade the sewage = treatment level at SCISTW to the secondary level, i.e. to provide=20 biological treatment to sewage in which organic matters are = converted to=20 stable substances by bacterial activities; if it will, of the=20 implementation details and timetable; if not, the reasons for = that;
(b) whether the authorities have drawn up specific sewage = treatment=20 procedures for the removal of possible viruses and chemical wastes = in the=20 sewage discharged from PMH; if they have, of the details and = effectiveness=20 of such procedures; if not, the reasons for that; and whether = these=20 viruses and chemical wastes have affected the health of the = residents near=20 SCISTW by way of water and wind; and=20
(c) of the impact of the treated sewage discharged from SCISTW = on the=20 water quality and marine ecology of Hong Kong?
Answer:
Madam President,
(a) The Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works (SCISTW) is = part of=20 the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 1 constructed to = provide=20 early relief of the water pollution problem in Victoria Harbour. = The=20 chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) process at = Stonecutters=20 Island removes substantial quantities of pollutants from the = incoming=20 sewage, notably about 80% of suspended solids, 70% of biochemical = oxygen=20 demand, 30% of total nitrogen, 40% of phosphorus, 60% of heavy = metals and=20 50% of sewage indicator bacteria. Under the original plan, with = the help=20 of a deep oceanic outfall which would form part of the remaining = stages of=20 HATS, the treated sewage will be discharged in the deep = fast-flowing water=20 south of Hong Kong Island where it would be safely diluted and = dispersed.=20 In the light of the diverse views over the original HATS, the = Government=20 appointed an International Review Panel (IRP) to conduct a review = of the=20 remaining stages of HATS in 2000. Following the IRP's = recommendations, we=20 are now examining the feasibility of raising the level of = treatment to=20 include a biological process with a view to discharging the = treated=20 effluent inshore permanently. The report on the environmental and=20 engineering feasibility of the different options proposed by the = IRP=20 should be available by the end of this year. It will then be = subject to=20 wide consultation. The way forward on the remaining stages of HATS = will be=20 decided after taking into account the views received, especially = in the=20 light of whether the community is willing to share out the costs = to=20 improve our environment.
(b) As the wastewater from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and = from=20 other individual discharges within the HATS Stage 1 catchment is = collected=20 and treated by the HATS Stage 1 system alike, it is impossible to=20 differentiate the wastewater from the PMH for special treatment at = SCISTW.=20 Nevertheless, disinfectant has been added to the toilet flushing = water=20 supply system at the PMH to ensure that the sewage generated in = the=20 hospital would be disinfected. At present, the treated effluent = from=20 SCISTW is being discharged into the western anchorage area from = where it=20 is dispersed and diluted by the water currents, well away from = residents.=20 According to a recent analysis of the sewage and marine water = samples=20 collected from the SCISTW, a fish culture zone in Ma Wan, and the = bathing=20 beach at Tung Wan of Ma Wan, no Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome = (SARS)=20 virus was found.
(c) The HATS Stage 1 system is preventing some 600 tonnes of = sludge=20 from entering our harbour every day. The sludge produced is sent = for=20 disposal at our modern landfills. This has resulted in substantial = improvements in water quality throughout the harbour with = widespread=20 reductions in nutrients and increases in dissolved oxygen. As for = sewage=20 bacteria, its levels have been substantially reduced in most parts = of the=20 harbour except for the western harbour near the outfall. As a = whole, the=20 HATS Stage 1 system has effectively improved the water quality of = our=20 harbour and brought positive impacts to marine ecology.=20
End/Wednesday, May 21, 2003
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